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An employee shared five corporate lessons saying success is not only about skills but also about understanding managers, visibility and workplace dynamics that sparked debate today
He says working smart may matter as much as working hard in offices. (Image: Reddit/subhendu-ganguly)
An employee recently shared a set of workplace lessons he says he learned the hard way, which quickly sparked debate online. In a Reddit post, he explained that doing good work alone may not always be enough to grow in a corporate job, and that understanding office dynamics can play a big role in career progress.
He titled his post, “5 winning corporate job hacks Gen Z must know, I learnt it at a price!”, and said that early in his career, he focused mostly on doing his tasks well. Over time, he felt that career growth also depended on how well employees understood their managers, their team goals, and how work decisions are made beyond their own role.
Understanding What Your Manager Wants Matters
He said one of the biggest mistakes employees make is only focusing on their own to-do list. According to him, it helps to first understand what the manager is trying to achieve, since managers are also working based on what their seniors expect.
He suggested that aligning work with those priorities can help employees get noticed more easily.
Being Visible Across Teams Helps Growth
He also spoke about visibility at work, saying it is not enough to be seen only by your direct manager. He claimed that being known across different teams and showing a proactive attitude can influence promotions and new opportunities.
In his view, workplace growth is not only about output but also about how widely your work is seen.
Talk Before You Start Working
Another point he made was about communication before starting tasks.
He advised employees to discuss ideas and plans with their managers first, instead of spending too much time working in one direction and later finding out it was not what was expected.
This, he said, can save effort and avoid confusion later.
Praise Alone Is Not Enough
He also warned against depending too much on positive feedback from managers. He said that while appreciation is good, managers often focus on larger priorities and may not always highlight individual work to senior leadership.
According to him, factors like how easy it is to work with someone and how well they support their manager’s goals can matter just as much as performance.
“Know Your Boss” Approach To Careers
In his post, he summed up his idea by saying career growth is less about “KYC” and more about “KYB” – “Know Your Boss.”
The discussion under the post showed mixed reactions, with some users agreeing with his experience while others criticized the advice as promoting unhealthy workplace behaviour.
Online Debate Splits Opinions
The post quickly led to a heated discussion among users, with people sharing mixed views on the employee’s advice. Some agreed with his experience, saying workplace success is often shaped by how well someone understands office politics and reporting lines.
A user supported the post and wrote, “Yes this is not LinkedIn, but a lot of you seek advice on the subreddit which has been answered here, from someone who has been there, done that, and credible enough to give good advice. Thanks OP, appreciate it.”
However, many others strongly disagreed with the ideas shared. One user questioned the approach, saying, “So all in all you trying to say be a bootlicker of your boss right?”
Another commented, “Slave Mentality,” while a different user wrote, “Bitter truth in India where everything starts and stops with your boss. Shit working culture,” reflecting frustration with corporate environments.
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